TAXONOMY OF TECHNIQUES

Taken fromTeaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy H. Douglas Brown, 2001 Pearson-Longman

A comprehensive taxonomy of common techniques for language teaching, adapted from Crookes and Chaudron (1991), is found in Table 9.1. Notice that three broad categories aroused: controlled, semi controlled, and free. Bearing in mind the somewhat slippery concept of control referred to above, you may be able to gain a broad picture, from this taxonomy, of arrange of classroom language-teaching techniques. In the chapters that follow, many of these techniques will be discussed with examples and analysis.

SEMICONTROLLED TECHNIQUES

20. Brainstorming: A special form of preparation for the lesson, like setting, which involves free, undirected contributions by the students and teacher on a given topic, to generate multiple associations without linking them; no explicit analysis or interpretation by the teacher.

21. Story telling (especially when student-generated): Not necessarily lesson-based, a lengthy presentation of story by teacher or student (may overlap with warm-up or Narrative recitation). May be used to maintain attention, motivate, or as lengthy practice.

22. Question-answer, referential:

Activity involving prompting of responses by means of referential questions (i.e., the questioner does not know beforehand the response information). Distinguished from

Question-answer, display.

23. Cued narrative/Dialogue:

Student production of narrative or dialogue following cues from miming, cue cards, pictures, or other stimuli related to narrative/dialogue (e.g., metalanguage requesting functional acts).

24. Information transfer:

Application from one mode (e.g., visual) to another (e.g., writing), which involves some transformation of the information (e.g., student fills out diagram while listening to description). Distinguished from

Identification

in that the student is expected to transform and reinterpret the language or information.

25. Information exchange:

Task involving two-way communication as ¡n information-gap exercises,

when one or both parties (or a larger group) must share information to achieve some goal. Distinguished from

Question-answer, referential

in that sharing of information is critical for the task.

26. Wrap-up:

Brief teacher- or student-produced summary of point and/or items that have been practiced or learned.

27. Narration/exposition:

Presentation of a story or explanation derived from prior stimuli.

Distinguished from

Cued narrative

because of lack of immediate stimulus.

28. Preparation:

Student study, silent reading, pair planning and rehearsing, preparing for later

activity. Usually a student-directed or -oriented project.

Part one (Controlled techniques)

Part three (Free techniques)